Little Bird
by Praedyth
Summary: A collection of drabbles, oneshots and snippets pertaining to Fala Blackburn and her development in Overwatch. Slowly updated and ever expanding, thoughts and comments are always welcome. May eventually contain mature themes.
1. I

Typically these are extremely short drabbles that are mostly for character development and interaction for a story that will eventually be published on here. These are only meant to be snippets and are told from various points of views! Again, they are just small little things meant for practice. Please enjoy them and feel free to follow the character on Tumblr too. c;

Other original characters may pop up and when they do they will be credited to their owner. Once again, enjoy!

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She was a rookie then- eyes dark and wide like a doe caught in headlights. She was cautious, was careful not to touch too much, but she was eager and hopeful to please the higher ups. "I'll do my best to make you proud," she said once when she thought no one else was around. "I'll make you proud like you've made me proud all my life."

There were times when Gabriel saw her something in her that Jack never gave a chance to let flourish. Commander Morrison never viewed her as something any other than ordinary which was a shame really for she was a bright girl with a bright future ahead of her. "You have to let that energy grow, harness it," Reyes told Morrison as her name came up once. "Otherwise you're wasting potential."

But Morrison gave that famous Morrison look and only shook his head, a disappointment forming in Gabriel long before the words had even fallen from his mouth. "She's just not ready."

There were times when she did show a certain ability to impress. Her and that little bird of hers, they were damn near inseparable too. McCree had been instructed to help her and though they were two completely different people Gabriel was careful to note that in their differences they flourished. Gabriel taught Jesse, Jesse taught Fala, in a round about way he saw some of himself in her. Of course she was younger and easy to look at but nevertheless it was something that Gabriel appreciated where Jack did not. But that was just it, Jack never agreed with what he said. It was always his way or no other way at all. In the days that neared the end of Overwatch it was these simple disagreements that cost a friendship and formed a rivalry.

There was recollections of a certain moment in which Reyes had caught the rookie alone. She was frustrated, her eyes were shadowed with a certain dark look that signified that she was about ready to quit. "I'm just not quick enough," she said quietly as they stood in the hallway together, her eyes catching his. "I've never wanted something so badly to go right and yet... I just can't."

"Have you tried something that takes a careful eye?" he suggested then. "You seem much more suited for a sniper- you have just enough finesse for that."

It was then the shade turned from darkness to light, they sparkled like light upon broken glass. "Truly? Thank you for that."

And then she smiled and it was warm- it made Gabriel shake his head and nod in improvement. "No problem, girl. Now go back to training."

The girl nodded and turned quickly to return to her duties. Yes, there was something there that simply took a steering had to the right direction. It was something that he saw and was eager to see it come to light.


	2. II

She was no longer a frightened doe, she was a wolf.

Dark eyes that were watching and careful, a smile that bared a bite. There were some of her movements that reminded Gabriel of how water rushed off rocks or the way the wind rushed through tall grass. It was graceful, natural, and for a shapely body it suited her well. With each step Fala took it was her eyes that were two steps ahead. This was what had gotten her into Overwatch to begin with, that eyesight and ability to react that although seemed slow it had the upper hand. There were moments the others forgot these things but not him, Gabriel remembered the eyes that would always watch his, it was hard not to remember such warmth.

Usually, however, it was not Gabriel that had been watched.

"Come now, cowboy," she was always calling Jesse cowboy, she felt that it suited him like water suited an ocean. "you aren't afraid to lose, are you?"

It was the confidence that she needed. Gabriel knew she had it in her, he was pleased to see that the girl had taken his words to heart that day in the hallway. From the distance he would notice a certain gleam between the two while they were together; he was not the same McCree that he was with him like he was with her. He smiled more often, was even a little more polite, and was less of a ruffian than usual. Curious, truly.

"Nah, I ain't scared," Jesse would answer after shaking his head, he certainly wasn't keen on the idea of losing. "I'm just busy is all."

But the dark eyes glittered with a spark of delight, Fala was like warm air on a winter's morning with her teasing. "Then when you aren't busy tucking tail, you will know where to find me, cowboy."

McCree would only chuckle and shake his head though. They laughed often, they were damn near inseparable in almost all of the things that took place. It was not she who jack believed in, however, not like he believed in her.

There was one other moment that Gabriel had witnessed. Once more in the hallways but instead it was Jack who was giving her a prep talk- except it wasn't much of one. Instead it was more of a patronizing tone that stung even him and though the words were curt at best he could tell that Fala was trying her best to remain calm. "I'm sorry," she replied after a moment of Jack telling her to keep to work harder. "I will do my best next time."

"Of course, I have the utmost faith in you," it was Jack's way of saying that although he doubted he was obligated to give her at least one more chance. "Now be off, you will continue to do your best."

From around the corner Gabriel watched the back of Jack's blue coat sway off in the distance, an almost sullen look befalling upon Fala. She was quick to notice him but even quicker to smile, it was to hide the disappointment that lingered. "Sometimes I'm still a little too slow," she said to him after just a moment. "Silly, isn't it?"

But Gabriel only shook his head. "Not slow, careful."

The wolf reappeared then and it made itself known; she smiled and brushed a strand of hair behind her ear.

There were unspoken words though that left the hallway ringing. Eye contact held for a moment longer before fading out, there was a feeling in her eyes that Gabriel was quick to usher away. He shrugged his shoulders after a second more and broke the silence. "But Jack is right, get back to training so you can keep doing your best."

Again she smiled and again Gabriel turned away- now was not the time.

But is there ever a right time?


	3. III

He was quiet, contemplative before the headstone as he stared at it.

He read the words but he didn't actually read them- they were just etchings upon pure white marble. Smooth like the edge of a knife and the reality cut just as sharply, if it weren't for the rain he was sure that he could smell the sweet scent of her hair. It was like smell of freshly cut wood, it reminded him of tender times laced with soft touches and honeyed kisses, and perhaps if he closed his eyes he could see her. Perhaps.

But the Gunslinger only stared at the white that reminded him of what the saints wore. Divine and utterly pure, that's how he chose to remember her. He refused to believe that his Blackbird was anything but undeniably good. No matter what Jack said or what Ana testified to- Fala was good, she was always good. It was like that saying about how the good always die young, that's what Jesse chose to believe. They could tell him a million and one ways as to how she was anything but a saint and no better than the man she chose to follow. They would also like to tell him that he was in denial but honestly what did they know? Nothing.

From beneath the ragged poncho a battered bunch of pretty little violets had been produced. They were wilted from being kept from the water and though dying they were held onto for good reason. Leaning down before the headstone, his bare neck being kissed by droplets of cold rain, McCree chose to remember a fond moment between the two. Her eyes were dark, she had the both of them then, and though they stared at one another there was a feeling of tenderness. She was new and she was greener than anyone he had ever met- he was instructed to take her under his wing.

At first the Gunslinger found her to be a little too green. She wasn't good at shooting, she struggled to be quick on the draw, but after careful instruction she found her niche as a sniper. "You gotta work on that aim," he would tell her as she was learning with a slow draw. "C'mon now."

But all she would do is give him a sweet smile and a roll of her eyes, never directly looking at him as her eyes peered her target. "Quiet now, cowboy. Watch and learn from a lady."

At first he was sure she was going to miss but upon the horizon a blackbird circled overhead, it cawed and the area echoed with a response back. They both were quiet and he could hear her breath slow like water becoming ice. With her finger upon the trigger, time slowed and he watched the target come into view- the sound of the bird squawking louder and just as quickly as it had appeared it's head was gone. Jesse was quiet as his companion laughed softly, his words almost muttered. "Well I'll be..."

"Now what was that, cowboy?" she asked as she moved to look back at him. "Can't hear you over your awe."

He caught her eye and for a moment they lingered upon one another, he only smirked though and shook his head. "What can I say? I'm a damn good teacher."

The gunslinger noted her smile and the shimmer in her eyes. Overhead the shadow of the crow returning to his mother caused both to look up, the black form a mere silhouette against the bright sun. It was watching the two with a careful eye as it caught them in it's sight.

But now, right now, the same shadow overhead caught his eye. He wasn't superstitious of the blackbird and instead only shook his head as it called out to him. It reminded him of her and as he watched the thing he laid the wilted violets upon her grave. "Go on now," he said to the thing. "best be moving on."

Now whether that was to himself or the bird no one could tell. The rain patted against his back as the crow continued to hover above him. It was time to stop reminiscing and living in the past. She was gone, there was no way she was coming back, and he was sure his Blackbird wouldn't want him to be living in the past. Call it an omen but the company of the crow made his heart almost feel assured, like as if she was right here right now. McCree was quiet though as he returned to a proper stance, it was time to head out.

"Until next time, hm?" he mused with a soft but sad tone. He would return to once again lay wilted violets at her grave for they were her favorite and he struggled to let himself let go. Turning upon his heel he gave one last whistle to the bird above as a goodbye and made for the hills. There were bad guys that needed killing and he would do just that.

But far off in the distance another watched the blackbird. Sight dark, heart slightly remiss, and it watched the figure wander from the graveyard. A smile crept upon the dark features as they noticed the pretty purple flowers- he remembered her favorite. He always did.


	4. IV

Times were changing, things were different.

Sometimes when he would look into her gaze he would still see the wolf, sometimes even the little doe, but none would reflect his eye more than that of the blackbird. She would smile still, it was curious like that of a trickster, and at times he would note that these smiles were like the ones she once gave to Jesse. At times when these things would slip passed Reaper would question them; these were the smiles that would often leave him confused.

"Do you remember when you caught me in the hall once?" she asked him out of the blue. From beneath the dark hood he watched her, unmoving and unrelenting in his perch high above the dark streets below like an owl waiting upon his prey. They were lingering like mist upon dark waters, waiting for the Overwatch agents to arrive in order to strike. They had been tracking their movements closely just for this exact and precise time.

"There were a few times that I can recall." he answered with a bite after a slight pause, irritated from waiting mostly.

"I was on the verge of tears," Fala replied with a soft smile as she reflected upon the moment. "I was younger then, more fragile."

Reaper found himself quiet in contemplation as he struggled to recall which time she was actually recalling. There was a cold breeze in the chilly autumn air and he was sure the snow would fall soon. This would be their eighth winter since Overwatch had been disbanded, their eighth winter together since all those years ago. Time slipped through their fingers and it was going quicker than ever before. Sometimes he struggled to recall the times in which he was Gabriel, not Reaper. Sometimes he even questioned if that was real or even a dream.

"And what's your point?" he growled with a slight twinge of annoyance. In the years that had slipped by he grew ever more slight of temper, ever more angry, he hated small talk during missions for that was what gave way to mistakes- mistakes that would cost him his vengeance. But all she did was smile, ignoring the bitterness that lay waste, and align her good eye to the scope to catch the moment before it slipped away.

"You were the only one to believe in me," Blackbird said softly as her eye caught shadows in the distance, quickly he turned to catch a glance of her. "the only one who gave me a second chance."

There was a sound down the dark alleyway that made the neon lights of the far away glow brighter. It was chilly and with a puff of warm air escaping her lips like smoke escaped a dragon's nose she inhaled to hold her breath. Still now, she was still but smiling- Reaper had seen this countless times before and he grew all the more prideful each time. Down the sight her eye caught that of a familiar blue and red, Reaper held his own breath then and hungered for her to pull the trigger as his attention returned to a well-known annoyance.

And then she pulled the trigger- the sound of the sniper cracking the air like thunder through dark clouds. It made his heart beat quick like a rainstorm upon a glass house.

"He's mine!" he shouted as he jumped to his feet with a manic laugh, it sent chills down her spine to see the once glorious commander of Overwatch upon his feet wretching. He was only stunned and holding his shoulder, it was his super soldier strength that kept him from being too severely weakened. Seconds passed, Reaper was already gone in a plumage of dark mist and from the shadows upon high she watched.

"I owe you my life and all of my admiration," she said quietly as she watched the fight begin between the two men. There was a sound of fists meeting that of faces, hands upon the other, her gaze glistened with that of the flashing lights as she watched the man in black. The smiled warmed as the sound of birds called to one another in the distance. "and I would do anything for you, Gabriel."


	5. V

There was a feeling of pure sweetness upon her tongue as their eyes meet, it was like the smell of honey and the sound of warm laughter as the little Blackbird found herself in the presence of a familiar heart. Lowering her gun, the sound of Corvus calling out in the distance, there was only a moment within the calm as the two stared at one another. "McCree?" the words were foreign upon her tongue but she knew them like her heart knew love. "Is... is that you?"

From the short distance her sight caught the tilt of a hat through the glinting sun, a smirk from beneath the hat's shade. It made his features dark but they were as crystal clear as they were welcome. "Howdy," he responded, the cool tone even more casual than expected, especially considering the two had just been shooting at one another. "bet you're pleased you missed those shots now, hm?"

She wanted to roll her eyes at him but she couldn't. The little Blackbird could only smile, she wanted to cry, she was trying her hardest not to make him anymore cocky by running into his arms. Beneath the sun the girl found herself staring at what she could almost consider a mirage- she needed to make sure this was real.

So Blackbird tossed the sniper to the dirt and disregarded all that her pride could muster. The sound of the earth crunching beneath her feet, the feeling of wind provoking tears in her eyes, her arms outstretched to grab what stood before her. Only seconds passed and then he was in her arms, the feeling even better than what she had dreamed it to be. She was on the verge of sobbing but for her sake she quelled it as much as possible. This was already more than she could handle.

But she held him hard to make sure he was real and that he wasn't going anywhere. There was the sound of laughter, her crying, it was a mess and she was thankful Route sixty-six was basically abandoned. Blackbird never approved of letting herself be seen crying- she had to maintain a strong presence, after all. Dark eyes, dark hair, the smell of smoke lingering upon his clothes as the dust settled slowly as fingers cuaght strands of hair to brush tears away; Blackbird missed her cowboy and now her heart was returned a favor.

"Missed me, did ya?" He was cocky but she could hear the comfort in his voice as they embraced. The feeling of her brows knotting together brought a smirk to her lips as she bit back the tears.

"With every bullet so far, yes." Head upon his chest, her heart listening to his, and the feeling of him chuckling against her cheek made her heart sing like wind through trees.

"That's my girl," he responded as he rested his lips upon her dark, no longer nicely kept hair. "I outta teach you some real tricks- you've gone soft."

She could think of a million things to say to her man but in this moment right here and now she couldn't. All she could do was hold him close and dear to make sure he never slipped away again. McCree turned and put his cheek to her head, Fala listening to Corvus call out to the emptiness once more.

In this moment, however brief, felt right.

"There was never a moment in which I did not love you," she said gently. "and I will always love you."


	6. VI

He had never seen so much blood.

He recalled that the first time he did it made his stomach churn, it made him so nauseous that he almost passed out. The others laughed at him, he was just a kid then, but the seconds before he saw it all he felt tough. Funny how it all come down to it he was just as scared as he was now- just in the time from then and now he hadn't thought about the blood too much. It was easy to ignore when he didn't care.

But now it was endless, it poured like a spilled cup of wine. His heart was rushing and his hands were shaky as he reached to the gaping wound. "You're going to be all right," he said in a stern manner that was rife with terror. "just hold on, ya hear?"

Fala only smiled though, that same damn smile she always had. He was mad now but not at her, he was mad at himself for taking such a pretty thing for granted. The dark brows creased in such a manner that she laughed softly then. "You were always such a serious one, Cowboy," there was a soft pause as he lifted her upward. "smile once for me?"

McCree refused to smile in such a situation. Instead he pushed the wound harder in order to keep the blood in and propped her up against his chest. Soft words, slow breath, he was unsure how much time he had left with her. There was the sound of wind through the trees and the smell of blood; it wasn't meant to go like this, not at all.

"I ain't going to smile, not now," he answered after he only stared at her, the dark eyes staring back at his. There was a time and place for everything and as the seconds grew long into one another he couldn't help but to try not to cry. He was strong, not weak, he was never going to pass out at the sign of blood or cry when things seemed dire. Jesse McCree was strong, not weak, and for the sake of them both he would not break down. "now you hush up, wait for everyone else to arrive."

The movements were slow and in the growing light of the sunrise he tried to stop the bleeding. In the growing light he wondered if this was his punishment for doing bad things all his life or if this was some kind of divine justice. He thought about the time he first saw blood and how it made his knees weak. He couldn't help but to stare at her eyes and notice the sparkle in them, it was exactly the same way he recalled them being when they first met. "Now don't you cry, Jesse," she said softly as her hands touched his, they were warm and messy with blood. "I promise I'll watch over you, ok?"

He promised he wouldn't cry but he was struggling to keep that from being broken. "Don't you say those things, I'm supposed to keep you safe, remember?"

He recalled the first time he met her and how green she was. It wasn't that long ago but it was like they had already knew one another; they got along great. Once Ana teased him and once Gabriel remarked upon the matter, they said that she was good for him. Jesse felt that they had actually meant she was too good for him but in the end it didn't matter to him. She always smiled and always encouraged him, she always made him feel happy no matter what had occurred. "Don't you going dying on me," Jesse said with a harsher tone. "I was given an order to keep you safe."

But she only smiled and she grew weaker, he could feel it in her touch. Jesse could hear footsteps somewhere behind him and he shouted for the others to come find them. The wind was quicker and he couldn't help but to feel like he failed her, not them. He could only think of when he saw all that blood so long ago and how the others just laughed. They were cruel.

There was no laughing here but from within the trees eyes watched a girl die and a woman be reborn; it was like watching a phoenix arise from it's ashes. Except instead of fire and flame this was a blackbird scattering to collect the remains of soul and flesh- it was beauty unmistakable. She always kept her promises, it's why she died and was reborn anew, and though Jesse didn't know it now and wouldn't for a long time she was as good as her word. She would watch over him, no matter where, when or how.

It was something along the lines of love, perhaps.


	7. VII

Their kiss was momentary- it felt like a breath of air before drowning in cold ocean water.

Fingers slipped into the other's hands, it was warm and his heart felt heavy at the thought of having to let go. The smell of violets lingered and so did grave soil, Jesse refused to let go of Fala's fingers. Heart aches lingered in his chest as lonely memories played themselves out- he had to let go once, he refused to do it again.

"I have to go, Jesse," the words were muffled against his chest, he refused to cry. "for both of our sake, let me go."

"I ain't letting you go, not this time." he was strong but not strong enough. The tears fell against the dark hair and it only made him hold on tighter. There was a sound of rain that made it easier to cry, something he didn't want to admit.

"Don't you love me?"

The question hit him like a gunshot to the chest. Did he love her?

He recalled when he first saw her, all she did was smile at him and look out of place. Bright eyed like a doe in summer, Jesse McCree was older than her and he didn't care for the little greenhorn that he had been stuck with. Not really at least, he had better things to do than to teach her tricks. Often in the beginning he didn't look at her but she had a certain way of catching his eye.

"You were always such a serious one, Cowboy," there was a soft pause in the familiar words that made him panic. "smile once for me?"

As the words hit so did the grief. Fingers felt cold, he could feel the warmth against his stomach, he pulled back and let his eyes fall upon the darkness. His panic set in and seconds passed; he was reliving a nightmare he swore he would forget. "Let go, Cowboy."

"No, no," the Gunslinger said hurriedly, he was put his hands against her stomach to try and stop the blood. In his heart though he knew the nightmare's end and he would be left alone, he was destined to be always be alone. "I ain't letting go!"

But there was a dark laugh, the sound of crow's calling to one another in the darkness, and though he did not catch her eye he knew she was smiling to him. The smell of blood and earth lingered and within his heart he knew the truth- she was gone.

Suddenly eyes opened and in the dark of the room he could hear the sound of rain. Loneliness, as always, he was lost with the little Blackbird that guided him in a way that he never knew she could. Thankfully his eyes were dry, he didn't know if he could have dealt with that right now.


	8. VIII

She was in shock.

Dust and the smell of metal lingered as her eyes saw stars. Slowly gaining her bearings Fala found herself struggling not to vomit, the sound of gunshots sung out and rang in her head. Although prepared to the degree that one could be prepared to this was nothing that she had expected. Was this the right decision?

Fingers were entwined, heart beats were fast, the smell of fear upon the wind made Fala come further to her senses. There was the sound of voices and she was sure someone was with her. A silhouette came before her, it was tall and reaching for her.

"Get up!" it shouted, Gabriel was trying to pull her up as she sat upon the rubble in shock. "Get off your ass and onto your feet!"

Between all the yelling and the shouting and the gunfire making sense of where it all went wrong was difficult to comprehend. Blackbird was quiet as her eyes stared out to the sea of destruction and the sound of shouting was a quiet lull; this was her first mission and it had gone wrong- or right?

"C'mon and get your ass moving!" Gabriel shouted as he pulled her up to get her going. Dazed, she was dazed from everything going on at once but Gabriel was determined to get her through. She was slowly starting to respond and she stayed close to the man at her side, the remains of the omnics scattered all around them. "Come on girl, don't let it all go to waste!"

Shaking her head with closed eyes she centered her heart with her breathing. Once in, once out, the dark eyes opened to reveal the perfect wasteland. Just ahead of them in the remains of London Fala could see that the mission had not been lost like she had assumed but rather find and on track. There was an explosion but the machine that had caused that lost- much to her approval.

"Get your weapon, you need to have our backs out there," though the words were firm she could feel the sense of faith in them. The dark eyes of Gabriel held her own, a second wind up and coming with her next breath, and a second later she felt right on track again. "we almost have it, just hang in there, ok?"

Through the blood, dirt and sweat on her face she knew what needed to be done. Her heart was aflutter from both adrenaline and pride- this was what she had trained for.

"I'm counting on you girl," the words made her feel stronger. "don't let me down."

Holding the trigger and giving Gabriel a nod of her head, she noted the glimmer of pride in his eyes. It reminded her of the moment in the hallway when he made her feel better- she remembered the feeling that held her heart. "Don't worry," the words were warm, it made Gabriel nod too. "I've always got your back, sir."

No truer words had been spoken since that day.


End file.
